DISQUS

Leonard Langlois · 1 year ago

It reminds me my friend that is presently in Vietnam and he told me that the Vietnamese, they want your cash but they don't like you. It is revelating but what do you want, I would say though that in Asia, it looks more like xenophobia than racism, but of course, the definitions of those terms are closed to each other.

We can't deny something though; racism also exists here in Western countries, but it has lessen with immigration. You know what Asian countries would need to open more their minds; big immigration... unfortunately, it is already very populous there. But countries as Japan or South Korea should think seriously to fight racism, ethnocentrism and xenophobia; their demographic balance is negative, and if they want to keep their economy going and be able to support their aging population, they will have no choice but to adapt immigration policies. Actually, the Western countries are absorbing a strong majority of the immigration in the world, it was normal since developed countries were mainly located there. South Korea and Japan are developed countries, they need an influx of population to keep their population in the next decades, despite their racism, they will have to open up to something else than tourism; they will have to accept more immigrants.

Al · 1 year ago

I do not know much about the racial issues that are occurring in Eastern countries but I would like to give my opinion on something a little off topic:

I can't really give a good example, but it seems that we are overly sensitive on the racial issue these days. Not that I'm racist or anything, but do you get the feeling that even the most unoffensive topics about races could turn controversial these days, anyone agrees?

Will one day occur where people are just too afraid to talk about anything race related because they might unwillingly speak about something that will offend someone. Clearly, a better boundary should be set on what should be appropriate and what is inappropriate, but even the best defined boundaries cannot please everyone.

Anh Khoi Do · 1 year ago

@Léonard:
Speaking about your friend who is in Vietnam, his experience is quite similar to what my former ethics teacher (who is, by the way, a white man) endured in China. Moreover, when you say that in Asian people's feelings are close to xenophobia, well, I kind of disagree a little bit with what you say.

For instance, when my parents were young, it was literally said in their textbook that ethnic minorities living in the mountain are to be "civilized". Needless to say that racism is a conviction that makes people believe that they're superior to another group. I could go on with another example on Vietnam, but I'll stick to that example.

@Al:
No, I don't think that your point is off-topic. It is true that speaking about race issues may offend some people. For example, I once pointed out to my uncle that what I seriously loathe about most Asian immigrants, is their way of trivializing ethnic nationalism. Without a doubt, my uncle was offended by my remark.